EU condemns Russia's 'illegal threat' against ICC

The EU on Thursday condemned Moscow's threat against the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the issuance of a war crimes arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The European Union condemns the illegal threat by a high-ranking Russian representative to use force against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its host country, the Netherlands," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

"It also deplores the measures announced by Russia against the ICC Prosecutor and Judges involved in the issuance of arrest warrants against Russian representatives," Borrell added.

Reaffirming the EU's "full" support for the ICC, he said: "Any retaliatory measure against those involved in the work of the ICC is unacceptable."

He underscored that the ICC must be able to work independently and impartially in leading the fight against impunity.

The EU remains committed to defending the court from "any outside interference aimed at obstructing the course of justice and undermining the international system of criminal justice," he said.

The ICC voiced concern on Wednesday after a threat of launching hypersonic missiles at the war crimes tribunal in The Hague by Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia's Security Council.

On Monday, Medvedev said it is "quite possible to imagine a hypersonic missile being fired from the North Sea from a Russian ship at The Hague courthouse."

"Look carefully to the sky," he added.

The Friday-issued ICC arrest order for Putin charges the Russian president with the wrongful deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children as it is a war crime.